2 B's in a PODcast

Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum on Crime & Growth

What if Sioux Falls is actually getting safer — not more dangerous — and the perception gap is the real story? In this full episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, hosts Brad and Brian Jans (owners of Jans Corporation, a Sioux Falls commercial construction company) sit down with Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about policing, growth, civic responsibility, and what's actually happening inside one of America's fastest-growing small cities. Chief Thum has spent 20 years with the Sioux Falls Police Department. He grew up at 16th and Duluth in Pettigrew Heights — the same neighborhood he would later patrol as a young officer. Lincoln High School. University of Sioux Falls. A sales job he hated. And the moment he and his wife both pivoted into the work they felt called to do. Twenty years in, he says it was absolutely the right call. What you'll hear in this episode: The numbers vs. the perception. Sioux Falls violent crime is at a six-year per capita low. Property crime is at a per capita low. The city is adding 5,000–6,000 people a year and is now larger than Des Moines proper — yet the narrative many people carry is that crime is getting worse. Chief Thum unpacks why click-driven news and social media drive perception more than statistics. The mentorship gap. He and Mayor Paul TenHaken pushed for 75 mentors across three Title I schools. In a city of 225,000+, only 36 people signed up. The Chief is honest about his frustration — and equally honest that policing alone can't solve the upstream issues that show up downstream as crime. Camp Postcard. A program nobody talks about. For five years, SFPD school resource officers have identified at-risk sixth graders and sent them to camp counseled by cops, with measurable downstream effects on behavior, school performance, and trust in law enforcement. What keeps the Chief up at night. Officer safety in an era when more weapons are being brandished against officers, the gap between parole and meaningful supervision, and the conversation Sioux Falls needs to have about recidivism. The Christmas Eve story. A domestic-violence case that ended in a SWAT call-out in Marion, South Dakota — and an entire team that showed up on Christmas Eve without anyone asking twice. The Chief's reframe of "family first" hits different once you hear it. What cops don't control. The laws. The Chief on why a basic civics refresher might be the most underrated public-safety reform in the country, and the one law he'd write today if he could (hint: smoke-shop synthetic drugs). Construction, crime, and a story Brad and Brian know firsthand. The episode closes with a real Jans Corporation case study — a GPS tracker hidden inside a decoy generator on a Sioux Falls jobsite, tracked off Cliff Avenue, leading to the recovery of a substantial cache of stolen property. Plus the time three Jans Corp decking guns disappeared from a site and reappeared in an apartment closet after a fire alarm. Real lessons for construction companies, homeowners, and small businesses on how to stop being easy targets. Technology, body cams, license plate readers. Why Madison, South Dakota currently has more LPRs than Sioux Falls — and how that technology is already moving cases. Jail and training facility design. Why the new Sioux Falls public safety training center came in at the right time, and what modern correctional and training architecture makes possible for staff and inmates alike. About the guest: Jon Thum is the Chief of the Sioux Falls Police Department, a 20-year veteran of the department who previously served on SWAT and rose through patrol, investigations, and command. A lifelong Sioux Falls resident, Lincoln High School and University of Sioux Falls graduate, he leads a department of more than 340 people serving a city of 225,000+. About 2 B's in a Podcast: 2 B's in a Podcast is hosted by Brad and Brian Jans, owners of Jans Corporation — a Sioux Falls-based commercial construction company. Each episode, the Jans brothers sit down with family business owners, founders, and community leaders across South Dakota to talk about building things that last: businesses, buildings, partnerships, and the community itself. Connect with the Sioux Falls Police Department: Website: https://www.siouxfalls.gov/government/departments/police Non-emergency: 605-367-7000 · Emergency: 911 Connect with Jans Corporation: Website: https://www.janscorp.com Chapters: 00:00 McGruff makes a cameo 00:32 Welcome to 2 B's in a Podcast 01:42 How Jon got into law enforcement 06:01 The identical twin brother story 09:11 Sioux Falls growth — and what the crime numbers actually say 12:30 The mentorship gap: 36 sign-ups in a city of 225,000 13:48 Staffing a police force for a city the size of Des Moines 16:54 Recruiting and the national narrative around policing 19:11 What keeps the Chief up at night 21:21 The Christmas Eve hostage call in Marion, SD 23:48 The biggest misconception about crime in Sioux Falls 27:05 Camp Postcard — the program nobody talks about 29:55 What cops don't actually control 31:14 The one law Chief Thum would write today 35:30 An early-career story you won't forget 38:50 Mental health calls and what the system left to police 43:00 Body cams, vehicle GPS, and solving cases with footage 47:24 Jail and prison design — why it matters 51:21 Inside the new Sioux Falls public safety training center 53:57 Construction site crime and a Jans Corp GPS bait sting 1:00:28 Phishing, payroll fraud, and the new crime landscape 1:03:50 Lock your doors, lights, and cameras 1:04:42 The Jans Corp decking guns story 1:06:35 The best part of the job 1:07:11 Cop TV show recs 1:09:11 What criminals hope you don't know 1:10:26 Closing thanks

Why Sioux Falls Keeps Growing | Jeff Griffin, Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce | 2 B's in a Podcast

What makes Sioux Falls one of the fastest-growing business communities in the Midwest? Why are companies, entrepreneurs, families, and developers continuing to invest in South Dakota? And what does it actually take to build a city where business, community, leadership, and opportunity all grow together? In this episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, Brad Jans and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation sit down with Jeff Griffin, President and CEO of the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, for a wide-ranging conversation about economic development, workforce challenges, political leadership, business advocacy, and the future of Sioux Falls. Jeff shares his journey from Ohio to South Dakota, his background in public service and community leadership, and how he became one of the most influential voices in Sioux Falls business and economic development. Together, they unpack what many leaders around the country call Sioux Falls' "secret sauce"—the unique culture of collaboration between business leaders, elected officials, entrepreneurs, developers, educators, and community organizations. This conversation explores what's working, what challenges lie ahead, and what it will take to keep Sioux Falls growing over the next decade. In this episode, we discuss: • Jeff Griffin's journey to Sioux Falls • What the Chamber of Commerce actually does • The biggest misconceptions about business advocacy • Why Sioux Falls continues to attract people, businesses, and investment • Public-private partnerships that shaped Sioux Falls • How Forward Sioux Falls helped transform the city • TIF (Tax Increment Financing) explained • Workforce development challenges in South Dakota • Recruiting talent to the Midwest • The role of relationships in economic development • Why agribusiness remains critical to South Dakota's economy • Political division, leadership, and civic responsibility • The future of Sioux Falls over the next 5–10 years • Advice for entrepreneurs, business owners, and future community leaders Whether you're a business owner, entrepreneur, contractor, developer, community leader, or someone curious about why Sioux Falls continues to grow, this episode offers an inside look at the people and partnerships shaping one of America's most dynamic regional economies. About 2 B's in a Podcast: Hosted by Brad Jans and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation, 2 B's in a Podcast explores construction, entrepreneurship, family business, leadership, ranching, and the people building South Dakota. New episodes feature business owners, builders, entrepreneurs, civic leaders, and community changemakers from Sioux Falls and across the Midwest. Connect with Jans Corporation: Website: https://janscorp.com YouTube: Jans Corporation If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building something meaningful.

From Med School to 100,000 Sq Ft: Matt Thornton on Taking Over the Family Business

Matt Thornton had eight East Coast med school interviews lined up. A week before the first one, he took his dad to lunch and asked if it would be weird to walk away from medicine to stay in the family flooring business. His dad said he was cool with it. Matt never looked back. That was 1997. In 2016, he bought his parents out completely. Today, Thornton Flooring operates out of a 100,000+ square foot showroom off I-29 in Tea, South Dakota, with additional locations in Sioux City and Rapid City — grown from the single garage stall where his parents started the business in the early 1980s. Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation sit down with Matt for a real conversation about taking over a family business, working side-by-side with your parents for 15+ years, and what it actually takes to grow something your family built without losing what made it worth building in the first place. In this episode: * Why Matt walked away from medicine to join his parents' flooring business * Working alongside his mom and dad for over 15 years — and the day his mom "quit" over lunch * Buying his parents out in 2016 and what that transition actually looked like * The values his parents instilled that he still leads with today — "you wear your name with pride" * Why culture is the thing he protects most as the business grows * Going from a 40,000 sq ft warehouse to a 100,000+ sq ft showroom across three states * Staying growth-motivated even after building the business he always dreamed of * How Bob Shaw, founder of Shaw Industries and now Engineered Floors, still meets with customers at nearly 90 years old * Surrounding yourself with people smarter than you — and letting them carry the business with you * What's next for Thornton Flooring in the next 3, 5, and 10 years Guest: Matt Thornton, Owner, Thornton Flooring Hosts: Brad Jans & Brian Jans, Jans Corporation Visit Thornton Flooring: thorntonflooring.com Locations: Tea, SD (I-29 exit) | Sioux City, IA | Rapid City, SD 2 B's in a Podcast is real conversations with family business owners, community leaders, and the people building South Dakota. Produced in Sioux Falls, SD Hosted by Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation commercial construction built on relationships.

Feeding South Dakota When Beef Costs Are Skyrocketing | Lori Dykstra

What does food insecurity really look like in South Dakota? In this episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation sit down with Lori Dykstra of Feeding South Dakota to talk about the growing hunger crisis across Sioux Falls and the entire state of South Dakota. This is a real conversation about food insecurity, rural hunger, child hunger, volunteer needs, food access, and what Feeding South Dakota needs most right now. Lori shares what is happening across all 66 counties, why food insecurity is now at one of the highest levels South Dakota has seen, what families are facing when groceries, childcare, housing, and transportation costs all rise at the same time, and why solving hunger is about more than just handing out food. We also talk about: * Why one in five children in South Dakota are food insecure * How Feeding South Dakota serves Sioux Falls, rural communities, and the entire state * What a food desert and food swamp really mean * Why hunger in rural South Dakota can be harder to solve * How mobile distributions, school pantries, backpack programs, senior boxes, veteran boxes, and wellness pantries work * What kinds of food are most needed right now * How businesses, churches, schools, and volunteers can help This episode also answers the questions people are actively searching for: What is food insecurity in South Dakota? How many people in South Dakota are food insecure? What does Feeding South Dakota do? What foods are most needed at food banks right now? How can I help Feeding South Dakota? What should I donate to a food bank in Sioux Falls or South Dakota? How does Feeding South Dakota serve rural communities? What causes hunger in South Dakota? If you live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, care about hunger relief, nonprofits, food banks, volunteering, community impact, or helping local families, this episode is worth watching and sharing. About the Show 2 B's in a Podcast | Jans Corporation Real conversations about construction, leadership, community, family business, and the people helping build a stronger Sioux Falls and South Dakota. South Dakota Community Impact Feeding South Dakota serves all 66 counties across the state, helping connect individuals and families with food through direct distribution, community partnerships, and hunger relief programs. If this episode matters to you, Like it Leave a comment Share it with someone who wants to help Support hunger relief in South Dakota

Paul TenHaken on Sioux Falls Growth, Infrastructure & Leadership | 2 B's in a Podcast

What is really happening behind the scenes at City Hall in Sioux Falls, South Dakota? In this episode of 2 B's in a Podcast, Brad and Brian Jans of Jans Corporation sit down with Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken for an honest conversation about leadership, city growth, infrastructure, economic development, and the future of Sioux Falls. Mayor TenHaken shares what people get wrong about being mayor, how Sioux Falls is preparing for long-term growth, why infrastructure projects like wastewater, water, roads, and utilities matter more than most people realize, and what leadership looks like when you are responsible for a fast-growing city. This episode covers questions people are already asking about Sioux Falls and local leadership, including: • What is Paul TenHaken's leadership style as mayor of Sioux Falls? • How is Sioux Falls preparing for future growth? • What infrastructure projects matter most in Sioux Falls? • How does city government think about roads, utilities, wastewater, housing, and parks? • What does Mayor Paul TenHaken believe about business, development, and economic growth in Sioux Falls? • How is AI changing city government, leadership, and the future workforce? • What do people misunderstand about being mayor of a growing city? If you live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, work in construction, development, commercial real estate, public leadership, or business, this conversation offers a real behind-the-scenes look at how the city is evolving and what it takes to lead through growth. You'll also hear discussion around: * Sioux Falls infrastructure and long-term planning * Economic development in Sioux Falls * Leadership under pressure * EOS and running city government with structure and accountability * AI, workforce shifts, and the future of leadership * The challenges and opportunities that come with a growing Midwest city 2 B's in a Podcast is the podcast from Jans Corporation, focused on construction, leadership, family business, development, and the people helping build Sioux Falls. If this episode resonates with you, like, comment, and share it with someone who cares about the future of Sioux Falls.